Germany’s top military officer has signaled a significant shift in strategy regarding the interception of drones entering German airspace, prioritizing minimizing collateral damage over immediate destruction. General Inspector Carsten Breuer, head of the Bundeswehr, stated in an interview with the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland (RND) that the focus is on restricting the adversary’s operational advantage while safeguarding Germany’s own capabilities, suggesting a reluctance to shoot down intruding drones.
Breuer explained that while directly destroying drones achieves one outcome, it creates a subsequent problem – the downed drone and expended ammunition pose a risk of ground impact, potentially causing significant damage, particularly near urban centers. Instead, the Bundeswehr is increasingly focused on alternative methods, including employing electronic jamming to divert drones, taking control of them, or even capturing them with nets. He emphasized that significant investment has been made recently to improve these capabilities.
The General Inspector’s comments come amidst calls from Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) for the Bundeswehr to provide support to civilian authorities in countering drone threats. Breuer cautioned against overstating the scope of such assistance, noting inherent limitations due to fundamentally different mandates. While civilian agencies can request Bundeswehr support when lacking specific capabilities, he stressed that responsibility for internal security remains squarely with the Interior authorities. The Bundeswehr primarily prepares for external military threats and deploys corresponding military capabilities. “One hundred percent security cannot be guaranteed” he added.
Breuer pointed to an alarming increase in hybrid warfare tactics, including cyberattacks, acts of sabotage and airspace violations – particularly through drone incursions targeting industrial facilities and military installations. He characterized the current situation as a departure from traditional notions of peace while falling short of outright war, underscoring a view that Russian strategic thinking blurs the lines between periods of peace, crisis and conflict. He explicitly warned that Russia conceptualizes conflict as a continuous spectrum, deviating from the traditional Western model. Reflecting on his four decades in the military, Breuer declared that the current threat posed by Russia represents the most perilous situation he has ever encountered. The move signals a subtle but significant policy recalibration within German defense planning, balancing immediate security imperatives with long-term risk mitigation and a recognition of evolving battlefield realities.